Grid Connected Photovoltaics

Economics of Photovoltaics in the UK

Historical review

The UK PV industry before 1990's was mainly concentrated on traditional export markets for remote PV power systems. After 1990's, a review for the UK Department of Energy (now part of the Department of Trade and Industry or DTI), indicated that the status of PV had moved from a "long-shot" to a "medium term solution" as an energy resource for the UK. This conclusion was based on the decreasing costs of PV devices and perceived advantages of applying this technology to commercial buildings. In later indications on PV economics, three large PV markets were established.

The off-grid PV market on the developing world.
The grid and building-integrated PV market in the developed world.
The utility-scale power plant in both the developing and the developed world.

The previous three PV markets are increasing continuously, since there is a significant reduction in the prices of PV panels.

Examples of building integrated PV system types in the UK

A practical example of PV integrated building, is the 40 kWp project at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle. The facade of the Northumberland building was upgraded in 1994. Dr Sue Roaf's Solar House at Oxford, where solar panels make up the whole of the south-facing roof. This family house project has a power of 4 kWp. The power of 4kWp produced in the Oxford house was considered enough for the house utilities.

Future projects of PV integrated buildings in the UK

SCOLAR is a Foresight initiative to put PV arrays into 100 schools and colleges across the country by the year 2000. Equipment is designed to be used as a teaching aid and participating schools are to receive a software package and Internet access. Under the DTI programme, the project of Doxford Solar offices at Sunderland is to be finished and the weather canopy of the Earth Centre near Doncaster. Our group project economical analysis in PV technology was divided in two main parts.